Device for cleaning and polishing metallic sheets



DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING METALLIC SHEETS Filed Oct. 17, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l 15 bwenior:

1441 4 F. WQEDEN,

A. F. WARDEN DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND POLISHING METALLIC SHEETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 17, 1934 Patented on. 15, 1935 UNHTED STATES PATENT DFFIQE Alva F. Warden, Gary, llnd., assignor to American Sheet and Tin Plate Company,

of New Jersey a corporation Application October 17, 1934, Serial No. 748,721

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for cleaning and polishing metallic sheets, and more particularly to those sheets which have been tin or terne coated, although not limited thereto.

In the cleaning and polishhig of metallic sheets which have, for instance, been coated with tin or terne plate, considerable difiiculty is experienced in handling the absorptive medium. This medium usually is a mixture of rye and wheat middlings, bran, and the like, which being soft and fine is particularly adaptable to remove the palm, and other oils, which are used to protect the coating of molten metal until it has solidified. Numerous types of machines have been devised for scrubbing metallic sheets with such an absorptive, and are referred to in the art as branners. These branners employ various combinations of cleaning and polishing rolls, which are usually composed of cloth and bring the absorptive into intimate contact with the sheet. The absorptive medium is dispensed by a conveyer along the upper of these rolls and falls therefrom onto and through the lower one and into a hopper. It is then removed from the hopper by conventional types of screw conveyers. A bucket-type conveyer, or elevator, is utilized for conveying the absorptive medium from the conveyer in the hopper to the dispensing conveyer. The absorptive is used repeatedly until it becomes so saturated with the palm, or other oil, that it is no longer in condition for service, at which time it is replaced.

At the beginning of the conveying cycle, the absorptive medium is light and fine, and the bucket elevator tends to deliver it to the dispensing conveyer, which is disposed above the upper rolls of the branner, in such volumes and so spasmodically as not only to cause uneven distribution along the rolls, but also to raise a fine dust which is highly objectionable in the vicinity of the sheets. As the absorptive medium becomes more saturated with oil, this dusty condition naturally ceases, but the bucket conveyer still spasmodically feeds the dispensing conveyer with the result that as the medium becomes more and more saturated with oil, it is less frequently distributed to all surfaces of the sheets being treated. The medium becomes heavier and heavier, and lies soggy and hard-packed at the lower end of the bucket conveyer to such an extent that it is often overloaded with deleterious results.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel device for cleaning and polishing metallic sheets which enables a constant and uniform circulation of the absorptive medium.

Another object is to provide a novel device of the class described which is readily adaptable to the various types of branners now in use.

A still further object is to provide a novel device for cleaning and polishing metallic sheets in 5 an extremely economical and efiicient manner.

These and still further objects will be apparent after referring to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an end elevation of the device of the invention. 10

Figure 2 is an elevation taken at right-angles to the view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan detail.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation 15 of the detail of Figure 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 designates a stand which supports a conventional device 3 for cleaning and polishing metallic sheets, which is known in the art 20 as a branner. The branner 3 is provided with a bottom hopper i in which there is disposed the usual screw-conveyer 5 for removing the absorptive medium (such as rye and wheat middlings, bran, and the like) to the usual 5 bucket-type conveyer which raises it prior to its again being used.

According to the teaching of the present invention, an elongated cylindrical tube 6, which extends substantially vertically, is substituted for 30 the usual bucket-type conveyer and carries at its lowermost end an offset right angularly extending cylindrical tube '1 which communicates therewith through an aperture 8. A flange 9 is provided for connecting the offset cylindrical tube 1 35 to the conventional conveyer 5 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner. The other end of the offset cylindrical tube '1 is provided with a head it! which is bolted thereon, as at ii. The lower end of the elongated cylindrical tube 6 extends substantially below the oifset cylindrical tube '1 and is provided with a head l2 which is bolted thereon, as at 13. The central portion of the head 12 is provided with a bearing it.

The upper end of the elongated cylindrical tube 8 is provided with a head it"; which is bolted thereon, as at 16, and carries a centrally disposed bearing 11. A shaft 18 is jcurnaled in the bearings i l and ll of the heads 12 and i5, respectively, and is extended substantially above the latter, as at It. The shaft l5 carries a helical conveyer flight 2t and a bevel gear 22 on its extension is for enabling its rotation.

A pair of supports 23 are mounted on the head l5, one on either side of the extension 19, and

each carries a bearing 24. A shaft 25 is journaled in the bearings 24 and has an extension 26 which extends therefrom to carry a sprocket 28. A bevel gear 21 is secured to the shaft 25 between the bearings 24 and meshes with the bevel gear 22 on the extension IQ of the shaft l8.

A shaft 29 is journaled in the hopper 4 and receives rotation from a suitable source of power (not shown). The end of the shaft 29 which is adjacent the elongated cylindrical tube 6 is provided with a sprocket 30 on the outside of the hopper 4 which is connected with the sprocket 28 by means of a chain 3 I. A cover, or shroud 32, encases that portion of the chain 3| which is above the branner 3 and also the sprocket 28.

A feed-pipe 33 extends angularly from the upper portion of the elongated tube 6 and in communication therewith, as shown at 34. The lower vend of the angularly extending feed tube 33 is connected, as at 35, to the conventional upper dispensing conveyer of the branner 3 which is indicated at 36. An overflow door 3? is pivoted, as at 38, to the angularly extending feed tube 33 relatively adjacent the communicating aperture 34! with the elongated cylindrical tube 6, and is resiliently held in closed position by means of a spring 39.

Due to the manner in which the offset rightangularly extending tube 7 and the angularly extending feed tube 33 are connected to the elongated cylindrical tube 6, a reservoir 49 is provided at the lower and upper ends of the conveyer flight 20.

In operation, the absorptive medium is moved out of the hopper 4 by the conveyer 5, through the oifset cylindrical tube l and against the head ill. The medium then falls by gravity into the lower reservoir 46, where, Without any chance of its becoming clogged, it is lifted in a somewhat vertical direction above the branner 3 by means of the conveyer flight 20. The flight 20 terminating somewhat short of the head l5 provides the upper reservoir 40 and has an angle which is sufficient to permit the absorptive medium to fall therefrom and through the angularly extending feed tube 33, from which it is moved by the conventional dispensing conveyer 36 to the branner,

It frequently happens that the absorptive medium accumulates on top of the rolls of the branner 3 in such manner that it backs up along the feed tube 33 and so encounters the constant stream established by the conveyer flight 20 as to elTect a jamming of the entire unit. This occurrence is overcome by the overflow door 31, which opens against the spring 39 to relieve the pressure.

The conveyer flight 29 is assisted by the upper and lower reservoirs 40 to obtain a smooth uniform flow of absorptive medium, and contributes to a lowered cost maintenance and motive power required, together with the other advantages previously mentioned.

While I have shown and described one specific embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited exactly thereto, since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention, as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device for cleaning and polishing metallic sheets, a conveyer for supplying an absorptive medium to said device, a conveyer for removing the absorptive medium after it has been utilized by said device, a conduit connected to said second named conveyer, said conduit providing a reservoir at each of its ends, a screw conveyer in said conduit, a feed tube connected between said first named conveyer and the adjacent end of said conduit, and overflow means associated with said feed tube for diverting excessively fed absorptive medium therefrom.

2. In a device for cleaning and polishing metallic sheets, a conveyer for supplying an absorptive medium to said device, a conveyer for removing the absorptive medium after it has been utilized by said device, a conduit connected to said second named conveyer, said conduit providing a reservoir at each of its ends, a screw conveyer in said conduit, a feed tube connected between said first named conveyer and the adjacent end of said conduit, overflow means associated with said feed tube for diverting excessively fed absorptive medium therefrom, and means for driving all of said conveyers.

ALVA F. WARDEN. 

